The Animagus Disease
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Severus and Harry are stuck in the hospital wing with the Animagus disease. Poppy is sick as well, and the Weasley twins have to look after Severus and Harry. Who is going to win the prank war? Completely AU, Sev. OOC due to his illness. Just stupid...


**The Anima****gus Disease**

Severus woke up, or at least he thought he had woken up, but he couldn't open his eyes. '_What's that? Am I awake or am I stuck in a dream? What happened to my eyes_?' he mused, forcing his eyes to open, only to close them again straight away, realising, '_The light hurts_.'

He forced his eyes open, squinted and tried to decipher the letters on the ceiling that was charmed to be under a permanent _Tempus_ spell. 'Saturday, 9:43,' the writing at the ceiling said, causing Severus to curl up under his covers in relief. '_Thank God, it's Saturday,_' he thought, not feeling in any condition to teach a class.

"Cicero," he called out, noticing horrified that his voice came out as a croak. '_My throat hurts terribly, or is that part of the dream_?' he pondered, once more cracking his eyes open as he heard his elf's voice. "Please bring me a Pepperup potion."

An instant later, he slowly tried to raise his head just enough to gulp down the potion. "Thank you, Cicero," he said gratefully, "that's a bit better." He carefully tried to sit up, knowing that his desk was about to collapse under the piles of parchments that were waiting to be graded. However, as soon as he tried to raise his head more than just to sip a potion, his surroundings became strangely blurry and a white mist emerged around him.

'_I think I'm ill_,' he realised as he let himself sink back into his pillows, shaken by a violent shiver. He let out a few harsh coughs, causing Cicero to throw him a concerned look.

"Master Severus, are you all right?" Cicero enquired softly. "Do you want me to fetch Mistress Poppy?"

"No Cicero, thank you, but I'm fine," Severus croaked, wheezing.

"Very well," Cicero replied after another concerned look and popped away.

'_I caught whatever was ailing Potter last night when he came to his detention_,' Severus suddenly realised, feeling his mood drop and his temperature rise in annoyance.

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Two hours and a short nap later, Severus felt absolutely miserable. Since he had realised that he was ill and had caught whatever was ailing him from Harry Potter, he felt that his throat, head and eyes were incredibly sore and he was feeling too hot and ice-cold at the same time. He rarely fell ill, but this was apparently one of these few times. '_Thank God it's the weekend. I'll try to sleep some more, so I'll hopefully feel better by the time Minerva comes and scolds me for missing breakfast and lunch_,' he mused as he tried to find a cool spot on his pillow to rest his achy head.

He didn't have to wait long, since Minerva came right after lunch, worriedly placing a hand on his shoulder that made him flinch back badly. Nevertheless, the instant had sufficed for his colleague to feel the heat his body radiated.

"Severus, you're ill," she stated the obvious.

"It's just a small cold. Go away and leave me in peace," Severus mumbled impatiently, longing to restore the usual quiet in his bedroom.

Minerva scoffed and conjured a thermometer, which she held out for her colleague. "Well, then you'll surely not mind if I take your temperature just to be sure it's a mere cold. Mr. Potter has come down with the Animagus disease, and I have to make sure that you didn't catch it from him."

"No. Why would I catch something from Potter?" Severus groaned against better knowledge, turning his head away.

"Because you both missed dinner three days ago, when the antidote was administered," Minerva replied sternly. "You should know better than to keep students in detention during dinner time."

"If you came to speak about my treatment of the Potter brat, I suggest that you leave and let me rest," Severus said, slowly getting angry as he felt the head creep into his head.

"Well, I suggest you let me check on you and don't make yourself so upset," Minerva said firmly, taking the thermometer into her left hand to pull her wand as Severus remained unmoving.

"I'm fine. Leave," Severus mumbled, pressing both hands against his temples as his headache flared.

"If you don't want me to use a spell on you, I suggest you comply and turn around so I can take your temperature," Minerva replied in the voice she had normally reserved for students who came to detention.

"You wouldn't dare," Severus growled, ending up in a coughing fit.

"Try me," Minerva scoffed, raising her wand. "Either that or I'll tell Poppy that you don't comply and need to be taken to St. Mungo's for treatment."

Severus grudgingly turned around, and as soon as he opened his mouth to counter, Minerva stuck the thermometer in, ordering her younger colleague, "Lie still and keep your mouth shut."

Trying to suppress a shiver at the cold touch in his mouth, Severus tiredly closed his eyes, knowing that Minerva had won. However, he suddenly felt too bad to care anymore and just did as he was told when Minerva called Poppy after a glance on the display of the device.

The Mediwitch looked into his mouth and ears and used a stethoscope to listen to his lungs, after waving his wand over him a few times. After thoroughly checking on him, Poppy sighed. "What is your Animagus form?" she queried, causing Severus to groan.

"A lynx," he whispered, feeling too ill to express his annoyance at the seemingly random question or to remember what Minerva had told him earlier.

"Very well then, you caught the Animagus disease," Poppy replied in a stern voice. "Many of the animals in the forest and even those in Hagrid's care have come down with a certain illness, which only animals can catch. However, they can infect humans, who have the ability of transforming into animals, with the so-called Animagus disease. So far, only Harry Potter has caught it, but due to being an Animagus, you're part animal and thus have been exposed to the disease. It is similar to the normal wizard's flu; however, you probably need to spend some quality time in your Animagus form in order to get rid of it."

"Is that a joke?" Severus gasped, knowing that he was in no condition to transform into his lynx form.

"Unfortunately not; however, we'll take you to the hospital wing first. You'll find yourself in good company, since Mr. Potter is there as well and has to spend as much time in his cat form as you in your lynx form," Poppy informed him gently, before she helped Severus out of his bed and towards the fireplace.

After a short trip through the Floo, Severus felt himself being led to the bed next to... '_Potter_,' he inwardly groaned, terrified. "Poppy, please allow me..." he began to plead with his colleague, but was completely ignored.

Not even Minerva took pity on him, when the Mediwitch explained, "I'll give you the flu potion, and as soon as you notice that it kicks in, you have to transform into your Animagus form, just like Mr. Potter next to you. If you're lucky, you might even be able to communicate with each other in your cat forms, don't you think so, Minerva?"

"Probably yes," the Scottish lioness replied.

'_Very lucky indeed_,' Severus thought in absolute annoyance.

"Very well," Poppy continued, waving her hand towards the other end of the hospital wing to motion someone over. "Unfortunately, I somehow managed to catch bronchitis and won't be here all the time during this weekend. However, Messrs. Weasley are kindly helping out over the weekend, and they'll look after you and Mr. Potter. Fred, George, Professor Snape has the same problems as Harry. Please help him accordingly."

"Of course, Madam," the twins replied eagerly, mischievous smiles playing on their lips.

"Severus, I expect you to do exactly as the twins tell you. They have been practising as my apprentices from the beginning of the school year onwards, and they know what they're doing. They know when you have to transform back into your human form, and it's important that you keep to the schedule in order to recover as fast as possible."

"And you're going back to bed now, Poppy," McGonagall said sternly and lead the Mediwitch through her office into her private quarters, waving her wand at Severus to transfigure his clothing into light pyjamas as she went.

"Professor, don't forget..."

"... to transform..."

"... into your Animagus form right away," the twins instructed the professor in an annoying singsong.

"Just go away and leave me in peace," Severus scoffed hoarsely and summoned all the energy he could muster to transform into his lynx form.

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Several hours later, Severus jerked awake as he heard a loud shout right next to his right ear. =Shut up; don't you know that animals' ears are much more sensible than human ones?= he hissed angrily as he turned to his left side.

=Unfortunately, they can't understand you as long as you're in your cat form, Professor. I think it's time for both of us to transform back though,= a small voice croaked next to him, and he noticed a smaller black cat with bright green eyes on the bed next to him.

'_Potter_,' he groaned inwardly. =If you're going to transform, you can tell them to leave me in peace,= he replied hoarsely, letting out a few harsh coughs.

"Hello, Professor? Harry? It's time for both of you..."

"... to change back to your human forms..."

"... if you want to get back to health sometime soon," the twins said sternly.

Seeing that Harry complied, Severus grudgingly followed his student's example, flinching back badly when one of the twins approached his bedside, holding out a magical thermometer. While Harry obediently allowed the other twin to adjust the annoying glassy stick under his tongue, Severus decided that he had enough. '_I'm going to return to my quarters_,' he thought in absolute annoyance. '_No one can keep me here against my wish apart from Poppy, and she isn't here anyway_.' With that, he slowly sat up, only to realise that the room kept turning around and that he was being pushed back onto the bed right away.

In the meantime, the other twin had pulled the thermometer out of Harry's mouth and announced, "Still red," before he gently placed a towel onto the boy's forehead. "Try to sleep for a while. I'll wake you up in time for your potion." Turning to his twin, the boy added, "George, I'm going to take Pomfrey's temperature. Do you need me to fetch her?"

"No Fred. She is too ill to deal with such childish nonsense," the other twin replied firmly, once more holding the thermometer out to Severus. "I'll deal with the professor, and if he won't comply, I'm going to call McGonagall."

"Professor, you better let the twins do their jobs. I heard that Professor Dumbledore ordered them to help Madam Pomfrey out, while she's ill," Harry said in a hoarse but soothing voice, "and they're good; they've really managed to make me feel better by now, although I've only been here since last night."

Feeling too bad to fight and realising that he didn't have a chance against two healthy boys, Severus grudgingly agreed and allowed the twin to take his temperature, noticing in resignation that it flared bright pink within seconds.

"This is not good," George mumbled, frowning, and walked away, only to return with an armful of wet towels. "I'm sorry, Professor, but I must do this," he apologized, before he pushed the covers away and carefully rolled the sleeves of Severus' pyjamas up to place the cold towels under his armpits and around his arms and legs.

Severus couldn't help noticing that the cold touch felt good to his heated body, and he slowly drifted off to sleep, only to jerk awake a while later to something cold touching his forehead. He lazily opened his eyes, seeing two brown bears standing next to his bed. One of them instructed him to open his mouth, and Severus automatically complied, before his foggy mind even realised what was happening. Seconds later, he nearly gagged as one of the bears stuck something icy cold into his mouth, instructing him to keep it in place.

"Fever is slowly getting down, though still very high," he heard the bears talk to each other as they took the stick out that had flared red.

The bears slowly helped him raise his head just enough to drink a potion, before one of them ordered him to transform into his Animagus form. "Are you Animagi as well?" he queried absently as he tried to concentrate on his lynx form.

The cat on the next bed chuckled. =They're not Animagi, only...=

A harsh coughing fit interrupted the explanation, and Severus realised that the small cat seemed to be as sick as himself. =Then I must be delirious,= he mused aloud. =To me they look like bears.=

The smaller cat chuckled again, only to end up in another coughing fit.

=You should know better than to laugh at me, considering that you only end up coughing,= Severus sneered, annoyed how hoarse he sounded even in his lynx form.

=Anyway, you're not delirious, Professor. The twins used a prank potion; they really look like bears, sir,= the smaller cat explained gently, causing Severus to sigh in relief, mumbling something about dunderheads that made the smaller cat chuckle again.

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By the time Severus woke up again, the brown bears were gone, and two baboons had taken their place. "Please turn back into your human forms," the bears told him as well as the small black cat, "you know the procedure."

=Potter, is it only because I am delirious, or are they baboons now?= Severus asked incredulously.

=They are baboons this time,= Harry confirmed, chuckling. =They're probably trying to fool us, Professor. I only know by chance that they're able to brew this kind of joke potion. Please don't tell them...= He interrupted himself, letting out a series of coughs.

=I won't tell, Potter. Maybe we'll find a way to fool them as well, but stop laughing; you'll only aggravate your condition,= Severus replied tiredly.

"Harry, Professor, believe us, we're glad that you're getting along so well..."

"... and that you seem to be feeling well enough to communicate which each other; however, you need to transform back now..."

"... We must check on you, and you have to spend some quality time..."

"... in your human forms," the baboons finished together.

=Professor, shall we feign being delirious and talk about dragons or something together?= Harry suggested hesitantly.

=Very well,= Severus agreed and transformed back into his human form. "No, you don't have to take my temperature; I know that it's hot, because the dragon over there..." he pointed in the direction of Madam Pomfrey's office, "... is breathing fire at me," he told the baboon that was trying to coax the thermometer into his mouth.

"At me too," Harry agreed, pushing the other baboon's paw away. "Professor, is that a Hungarian horntail?"

"I'm not sure, but he definitely has the dragon pox," Severus replied hoarsely. "Potter, I know that you're a dunderhead at Potions, but could you at least prepare some ingredients, so I can brew the potion for dragon pox?"

"Err... This conversation sounds very interesting, sir..."

"... but there aren't any dragons here, so..."

"... let us take your temperature..."

"... and then you'll need to eat dinner."

"No! Professor, shall we brew the dragon pox potion first? But will the dragon go away, if we give him the potion?" Harry queried, feigning anxiousness.

"We could lace it with a sip of a sleeping draught. Considering its size, I assume that two normal sized phials would be enough," Severus croaked aloud.

"Do you have all the ingredients we need?" Harry asked, coughing harshly.

"We need to make a short trip to the apothecary in Hogsmeade first. You can wait in the Potions classroom, Potter. Prepare two spoonfuls of moon fern powder, cut six frog eggs into small pieces, and then we need five slices of birch bark, cut into very fine slices..." Severus interrupted himself as he couldn't resist the urge to cough anymore.

"They must both be delirious," Fred said to George. "What are we going to do?"

"First of all, we need to take our next potion," George replied, and the twins hurried into Madam Pomfrey's office, only to return an instant later in the form of two penguins.

"Hey Harry, Professor, do you like penguins? They're better than dragons, aren't they?" Fred said, grinning.

However, Severus and Harry decided spontaneously to ignore the twins and continued talking about the potion they were going to brew right away.

"Maybe we have to call Madam Pomfrey," George replied thoughtfully. "I'll go and check on her. If she feels well enough, I'll ask her what she recommends." With that one of the penguins hurried away.

"Very well, Potter, let's go. I'll take the Floo from my quarters," Severus said firmly and slowly sat up, noticing that he felt much better than earlier.

"Professor, lie down immediately," Fred said sternly, trying to push Severus back onto his bed.

However, Harry chose that exact moment to get up and walk towards the door, causing the twin to give up and hurry towards the Mediwitch's office.

"Back into bed quickly," the professor hissed, and by the time Madam Pomfrey entered the hospital wing with the twins in their human forms in tow, Severus and Harry were both lying in their beds with their eyes closed.

Pomfrey quickly waved her wand at the two patients, before she gave the twins a contented look. "Their fevers have come down nicely. Please make them eat dinner and give them their potions, and they should be all right for a while. I'll come and make them transform into their Animagus forms later tonight."

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On Sunday, Severus and Harry were both feeling much better. The twins still took on different animal forms; however, as soon as they appeared in a different form, Severus and Harry transformed back into their human forms and continued their discussion about dragons that were breathing fire at them and about brewing the potion for the dragon pox.

When the two patients woke up in the evening, two sloths were standing next to their beds. "Well, whoever decided to send two sloths to look after us is a dunderhead and instead should have considered sending two felines. They'd at least be able to understand what we were talking about in our cat forms," Severus sneered, glad that his voice didn't sound so hoarse anymore.

"Even lions might be more helpful to get rid of the dragon," Harry mused aloud, causing the twins to groan.

"Oh no, what is it..."

"... with the two of you and dragons?" the twins asked in annoyance.

"May we enquire what it is with you and prank potions?" Severus returned the question, glaring at the sloths.

"We brewed them..."

"...during the summer holidays," the twins admitted.

"Very well, the two of you seem to be very adept at brewing. Pity that you hardly showed any of this talent in class," Severus sneered. "I already agreed with Potter to teach him Potions during the winter holidays; you're free to join us if you wish."

"Are you going to teach us prank potions, sir?" Harry asked in surprise.

"That was not my intention; let's see if the three of you are able to do anything else than play pranks," Severus sneered as he sat up. "Good night, everyone; I'm going to return to my quarters."

Before the sloths could even react, the professor had crossed the room, and the door closed with a bang. One of the sloths slowly went after Severus, while the other one changed into his human form and hurried into the Mediwitch's quarters.

'_That's my chance_,' Harry realised and hurriedly returned to Gryffindor tower, feeling very happy that he had learned to get along with Professor Snape and that he would be able to spend the winter holidays with the professor in order to properly learn to brew instead of being completely alone in Gryffindor. '_This was my best stay in the hospital wing ever_,' he mused as he entered the common room, looking forward to meeting the Weasley twins later on.

**The End**

_I'm not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes or help me to correct them._

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


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